Strain relief devices for multipole electrical plug connectors are known in the art. The plug terminals may be contact pins in a male type connector plug or they may be connector bushings in a female type connector plug. The housing of the relief device is provided with a cap nut for securing the device to a respective connector plug. For this purpose the cap nut has an internal threading and the connector plug has an external threading cooperating with the internal threading. The cap nut also functions for compressing a sealing ring operatively inserted between the housing of the relief device and the connector plug. The purpose of such a sealing ring which is not part of the invention is to seal each conductor of a cable or conductor bundle connected to the connector plug against moisture and other contaminations by blocking a path for the moisture into the connector plug. Depending on the installation requirements, the housing of the relief device may have a straight shape, whereby the conductor bundle extends away from the connector plug substantially coaxially with a central axis of the connector plug. In an alternative embodiment the housing of the relief device may have an angular shape, whereby the conductor bundle extends substantially at a right angle to the central axis of the connector plug. Additionally, such connector plugs are equipped with conductor bundle holding means which are supposed to protect the conductors of a bundle against tensile stress. Relief device housings for such connectors are described, for example, in standard sheet NSA No. 938 154, whereby the additional designating number 01 refers to a straight housing, while the additional designating number 02 refers to an angular housing.
Conventional relief device housings with their cap nuts have particularly the following disadvantages. In most instances it is necessary to disconnect the individual conductors from the terminal pins or terminals bushings where it is required to remove the housing from a conductor bunch or bundle. Thereafter, when the cable bunch or bundle is to be reconnected, each individual conductor requires an individual reconnection to its pin or bushing. Further, if the plug is to be used without a relief device housing the plug requires a different kind of cap nut for assuring a good sealing function even without a relief device housing. Besides, a different housing is required for a straight installation in which the conductor bunch extends substantially parallel to the central axis of the plug, than in an angled installation in which the connector bunch or bundle extends substantially at a right angle relative to the central axis of the connector plug.